Information and Advice for Suspended Students
I’ve been suspended. Can I request immediate reinstatement to return next semester?
Eligibility to request immediate reinstatement to return to the University is based on the term GPA in the most recent semester. Students who were on probation are eligible if they earned a term GPA of 2.0 or better. Students who were on first semester warning are eligible if they earned a term GPA of 1.0 or better. Your academic standing email will indicate if you are eligible or not and, if you are eligible, will include instructions on how to make your request.
What should I do if I have been suspended from Stony Brook and am ineligible to petition for immediate reinstatement?
There are a number of positive things you can do to make good use of your time away from Stony Brook, improve your chances for academic success in the future, and help support a future petition for reinstatement:
1) When appropriate, consider enrolling in courses at another college, as a full-time student if possible (at least 12 credits), and achieve the highest grades you can in that coursework. If you hope to eventually return to Stony Brook, the transcript from the other school you attend in the meantime can be used as documentation for your next petition for reinstatement. Of course the stronger your grades at the other school, the better support your new transcript will be for future reinstatement.
Before enrolling in courses at another school, make sure you check with an advisor in Academic and Transfer Advising Services. An advisor can let you know if you are eligible to apply transfer credits to your degree and if the course(s) you’re planning to take at another school will satisfy general education requirements (i.e. DEC or SBC). If you need to know if such course(s) may satisfy major or minor program credits, you will need to see an advisor from the corresponding academic department as well. Not only can you use transcripts from other schools as documentation for reinstatement, but you can also continue to make progress toward your degree even while out on suspension.
2) If you have any Incomplete grades from this past semester at Stony Brook, you should connect with the course instructor and take time to complete the work in the course(s). Incomplete grades that go unattended will change to I/F grades on your transcript and eventually lower your GPA.
3) Working while out on suspension may be a good option for some students. If your general education requirements are completed and the majority of the coursework you have left to finish is upper division and/or credit for your major, you may find it difficult to gain admission to another 4-year college where you could take upper division or major courses. Your major department may also require that you take a certain number of credits for the major at Stony Brook, therefore limiting the number of major credits you can transfer in from other institutions. In addition, it may not be financially feasible for you to attend another school temporarily as a non-matriculated student, as you may not receive any financial aid. In all of these circumstances, the best option may be to work to save money for future studies. Working now might allow you to reduce your work schedule upon reinstatement. If you have to work while in school and you know that balancing school and work has been a challenge for you, this may be a good way to set yourself up for future success.
4) If your academic performance has suffered due to personal or family illness or personal or family issues needing your attention, then you should use this time while out on suspension to heal, recuperate, and/or attend to family concerns. It makes absolutely no sense to petition for future reinstatement if the issues causing your suspension in the first place are not addressed and resolved.
5) Before considering a future petition for reinstatement, take stock of your academic strengths and weaknesses and your future goals. Is your current major right for you? Do you have a major yet? If you can honestly assess your academic strengths and weaknesses and choose a path of study that allows you to excel rather than struggle academically, upon your reinstatement, you will find yourself a much happier and more successful student.